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1999 Lexus LS400 acceleration problems

13 of the 27 complaints about the 1999 Lexus LS400 are about the throttle and cruise control — 48% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 57,934 miles.

F

13

Complaints

6

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 11 84.6%
Linkages 1 7.7%
Accelerator Pedal 1 7.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 130,000 miles Southampton, NY Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE DUE TO TRAFFIC. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CRASH CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES AS WELL AS AN INJURED KNEE OF THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STRUCK. THE FAILURE HAD RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND HE WAS INFORMED THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, HE WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE TYPE OF FAILURE HE WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 02/19/13

NHTSA complaint #10487438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,080 miles Fresno, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLUE TO THE TOYOTA RACING ENGINE PROBLEM. ON EACH OF TWO DAYS BEFORE I TOOK MY 1999 LEXUS 400 TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AT AN ESTIMATED 4,000+ RPMS AND EMITTED A GRINDING SOUND AS THE CAR WAS STARTED. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY, THE CAR WOULD RESTART WITHOUT A PROBLEM. STRANGELY, THE DEALER DID NOT RECORD THIS PARTICULAR COMPLAINT, BUT STATED THAT DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THAT STARTER WAS FAILING. I WAS CHARGED $990 FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS. I COULD NOT GET A SATISFACTORY ANSWER AS TO WHY A FAULTY STARTER WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RACE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR OVER 10,000 MILES SINCE THEN WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10319258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10,000 miles Banning, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I'M WRITING THIS IN THE HOPES THAT IT MAY BE OF SOME HELP IN TOYOTAS BRAKE PROBLEM. MY 1999 LEXUS LS400 WOULD LOOSE THROTTLE CONTROL, THE ENGINE SPEED WOULD DROP TO IDLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS DONE TO THE THROTTLE ITSELF. AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WOULD NOT WORK IF IT HAD BECOME WET. THEY REPLACED THE TPS AND THAT CURED THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10310746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles NEW York, NY Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1999 LEXUS LS 400. SUDDEN ACCELERATION.

NHTSA complaint #10304673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 46,000 miles Chattanooga, TN 99 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

LEXUS LS 400 1999 MODEL. DANGEROUS HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. FURTHER AFTER DRIVING THIS CAR FOR TWO YEARS, I HAVE NECK PAINS FROM THE DAILY WHIPLASH. TOYOTA IS IGRNORING THIS SYSTEM WIDE. IT IS AN OUTRAGE. ITS DAMAGING PEOPLES NECKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT - THEY CLAIM ITS NORMAL. OTHER DEALERS ARE TELLING CUSTOMERS ABOUT IT - - MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE MY CAR - IT'S DANGEROUS!

NHTSA complaint #10129899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,869 miles Downey, CA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, SLOWLY, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, WENT OVER THE CURB AND INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10083578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Braintree, MA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

PETITION SEEKING NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE LEXUS VEHICLES MODEL YEARS 1997 TO 2000 WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES RESULTING IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *MR THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO REAR END THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIS. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A POLICE CITATION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (ODI# 760680). *SCC *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10021804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Summit, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE THROTTLE SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING OR CAUSING IT TO START BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT REV WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE GREASE FROM THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY CAN MIGRATE DOWN ONTO THE THROTTLE SENSOR INTERFERING WITH ITS OPERATION. NLM

NHTSA complaint #785593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Braintree, MA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ENGINE REVS TO EXTREMELY HIGH RPM ( ~5000 ) WITH NO THROTTLE INPUT FROM DRIVER. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY . THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS AFTER ENGAGING REVERSE GEAR. FORTUNATELY THE BREAKS WERE ABLE TO RESTRAIN THE VEHICLE. IN NEITHER INCIDENT WAS MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR.

NHTSA complaint #760680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Summit, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE THROTTLE SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING OR CAUSING IT TO START BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT REV WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE GREASE FROM THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY CAN MIGRATE DOWN ONTO THE THROTTLE SENSOR INTERFERING WITH ITS OPERATION. NLM

NHTSA complaint #785593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mercerville, NJ Crash 2 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS ENTERING HIGHWAY, I HAD MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL ON AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE. THE CAR STARTED TO FISH TAIL AND WHEN INTO A 360 DEGREE SPIN, MAYBE TWICE, AT LEAST 1 1/2 TIMES. WHEN I CAME OUT OF SPIN I CRASHED INTO THE CEMENT MEDIAN. AT NO TIME DID THE VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) ACTIVATE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T MISS. A LOUND WARNING SOUND COMES ON AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP WITH A SKID WARNING. IT HAD HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE IN THE SNOW.

NHTSA complaint #753195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Banning, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN SKID CONTROL LIGHT IS ON THROTTLE DISABLES, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE AT ANY SPEED, AND VEHICLE STILL IDLES. DRIVER HAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #857304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brooklyn, NY Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE MAKING A U-TURN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. DRIVER PUT THE BRAKES ON, AND THE BRAKES SQUEALED AND DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. IT LOST CONTROL AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE WALL. DEALER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, BUT CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.

NHTSA complaint #836060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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